The present disclosure relates generally to devices for connecting tubing for medical applications, and more particularly to break-away valves for connecting tubing.
The introduction of fluids into and out of the body, as well as the placement of devices within the body to capture diagnostics, has long been a standard of care within medical practice. The devices used to accomplish these medically necessary tasks have become more advanced and functionally flexible, they have given the patient the ability to continue activities of daily living while these devices are in place and being used. Instead of having to completely immobilize the patient to facilitate the use of these advanced devices, no immobilization of the patient or a specific limb is required in most cases. This provides many benefits for the patients in terms of the ability to be mobile, perform active therapy, and even leave the hospital setting with these devices still in place and manage their care from home.
Advances in infusion, removal, and diagnostic devices have subsequently led to new risks for these devices during their use. The mobility and state of mind of the patients utilizing such devices has given rise to accidental removal of these carefully placed and delicate devices. These devices are currently secured with different forms of adhesives or sutures, but the failure threshold of these securement devices are limited by the composition of human skin and the amount of surface area available and acceptable for a given patient. These factors have led to adverse events within the medical setting in which catheters, drains, tubes, and other medical devices are inadvertently removed from their intended placement within the patient prior to the intended time of removal.
Accidental removal of these devices is especially dangerous for patients, being that the devices are accessing important veins, arteries, and organs within the patient. The forceful and unintended removal of the devices can cause dermal abrasions, vasculature and arterial tissue damage, organ tissue damage, and in almost every case hemorrhaging of blood from the insertion site.
What is needed then are improvements in devices and methods for preventing accidental or unintentional removal of devices using breakaway connectors for medical tubing.